Define your career plan and the actions to be taken
Choice of program or specialization, internship or supervised project, community involvement: don’t make a decision without first formulating your career plan and identifying the actions to be implemented for achieving it. This is how to go about it.
Did you skip any steps?
You won’t be able to set your career plan properly if you don’t take the time to get to know yourself better and concretely explore careers in management.
What is a career plan?
Your career plan corresponds to your career objectives.
During the course of your career, you will need to plan and complete various actions in order to achieve these objectives.
A career plan is in flux throughout your life: what you define today will evolve over time, as you continue to acquire experiences.
Example of a career plan and related actions
I want to become a product manager in the computer games industry, which counts Quebec among its major players. This is why:
- I have opted for marketing as my BBA specialization.
- I joined as VP in HEC Montréal’s Marketing Association.
- I chose the trilingual stream as I plan to work in different countries.
- I also want to do a marketing internship to learn as much as I can about my future profession and gain some experience.
- Upon completion of my BBA, I will decide if I want to do a Master’s – "supervised project” stream, or work as a product manager’s assistant.
Neither too much nor too little
Avoid restricting yourself to a very specific plan, or conversely, trying to keep all options open.
Example of a very specific plan:
- Do an audit internship in one of the big four firms
- If this applies to you, think of a plan B: a plan that is perhaps less ideal but easier to achieve.
Examples of very vague plans:
- Become a CPA
- Do management
- Do project management
- Become a financial analyst
A plan that is too vague will prevent you from identifying specific actions for achieving it. If this applies to you, continue to gather information and introspect further with the help of the career development path.
How to proceed
STEP 1: Make a list of the positions, organizations and business sectors you would like to work in. Rank them in order of priority.
What roles do you want to play in an organization? Analyze, advise, coordinate, provide solutions? A combination of several roles? Which positions do these roles match?
What kind of organizations would you prefer to work in? A small outfit where you would perform a wide variety of tasks? A multinational where you would have access to better benefits? Etc.
Which sectors attract you? Banking, luxury or fashion, the environment, the pharmaceutical industry? Etc.
Need inspiration? Visit the Careers in management section.
STEP 2: Define your short, medium or long-term objectives, and the actions required for achieving them: those that are obvious, like the ones that have been recommended to you by members of your network, for example.
Questions to ask yourself
- Which skills should I possess?
- Which courses should I take?
- Which professional experiences do I need to acquire? By doing an internship? By holding down a job?
- What contacts should I develop?
Be SMART!
An objective should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. You can browse the Internet to find out more about the SMART method of defining objectives.
Examples of actions related to a career plan
- As I want to manage people in a company exporting luxury items (perfumes, clothes, jewelry), I will seek a student job linked to this sector. I am willing to settle abroad in order to achieve my goal. I will opt for an international exchange in the next winter session.
- I would like to become a project manager in a Montréal NPO within the next five years, working in the field of environmental protection. I have selected sustainable development as my BBA specialization. I plan to do a Master’s in Management and Sustainable Development – integrative project stream.
- I aspire to offer my services as a consultant in organizational development within the next 15 years. I have opted for a Master’s in Management (MSc) – Organizational Development and a supervised project in conflict management. I hope to find a job as an analyst in a consulting firm once I leave School.
For examples of actions to be carried out, consult the Boost your profile section.
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